Citation

Mani A, Pai M, Aggarwal R. Transp. Res. Rec. 2012; 2317: 104-110.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/2317-13

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Autorickshaws are ubiquitous in Indian cities. They play an important role in urban mobility by serving as an intermediate public transport mode and providing taxi-like services. Despite their role in urban transport, autorickshaws have received limited policy attention at the national level, which has resulted in problems with quality of service and in environmental and safety issues. Given the critical need to promote sustainable transport in a rapidly urbanizing India, this paper presents key policy focus areas for the autorickshaw sector. These policy areas are based on a structured assessment of the importance of autorickshaws in cities, their role in sustainable transport, the sustainability challenges facing the sector and opportunities to address them, and gaps in the current policy framework. Available literature, government and industry websites, and surveys of stakeholders (regulatory authorities and autorickshaw drivers) were used in this research. The key findings include the following: autorickshaw services play an important role in sustainable transport strategies for managing private motorization and encouraging the use of sustainable modes (public transport); however, as an unorganized sector, autorickshaw services face environmental and safety challenges caused by engine and vehicle design issues that need to be addressed to ensure the role of autorickshaws in sustainable transport. A policy vision is presented to promote organizational reforms and develop sustainable solutions for fuel and engine and vehicle design, and recommendations are provided on the next steps for the central government in taking the policy vision forward.